Alabama's Jah-Marien Latham expects to break out in new Bandit role

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Jah-Marien Latham took one look at Kane Wommack’s 4-2-5 defense and knew exactly where he’d fit in. At 6-foot-3, 273 pounds, the redshirt senior is practically built for Alabama’s new Bandit role which requires a hybrid between a standard edge rusher and a defensive lineman.

If Latham’s being honest, that’s always how he’s seen himself anyway. Despite signing with the Crimson Tide as a four-star tackle in the 2020 class, the Reform, Alabama native fancied himself as a bit of a mix between a defensive end and an outside linebacker during his days at Pickens County High School.

After bouncing between defensive tackle and defensive end at Alabama the past for years, he’ll finally be able to showcase his mobility a bit more this fall.

“I really love this new system,” Latham said. “It gives everybody on the defense a chance to showcase their talent. Especially on the defensive line, we have more freedom to rush now. It really gives us the ability to show what kind of athlete we really are.”

At his heaviest, Latham said he tipped the scales at around 285 pounds last season. That came in handy for those times when he had to move inside and man the defensive tackle role.

Since those duties will be limited in Alabama’s new look, the lineman sheded roughly 10 pounds over the past few months in order to keep up with running backs on the edge or occasionally drop back to cover a tight end. However, earlier this month, Alabama defensive line coach Freddie Roach said he still feels confident lining up the sturdy defender against any run-blocking lineman.

“I’d just say I’m a hybrid,” Latham said. “I do both. The past years when Saban was here, I was kinda heavier, so it was more like defensive lineman. But now I’ve done slimmed up a little bit, so I can drop into coverage, go off the edge, go inside, everything.”

Latham’s new fit in the defense comes as somewhat of a reward for the patience he displayed this offseason.

Alabama saw Kevin Steele retire as defensive coordinator on Jan. 8 only for head coach Nick Saban to follow suit two days later. Those two moves uprooted a defensive scheme that had been rooted in Alabama over the past 17 seasons. It wasn’t until a month later that Alabama tabbed Wommack as its next defensive leader.

While the transition caused several Tide defenders to hit the transfer portal, Latham said leaving never really crossed his mind.

“I felt like if you do leave you’re going to have to introduce yourself to a whole new staff,” he explained. “So it’s like why not stay here where you’re comfortable at, where you’ve been at the whole time and just keep this whole train rolling.”

After all, as Latham puts it, “I ain’t never been too much on staying away from pressure.”

“I knew what I wanted to do,” he said of his decision to remain with Alabama. “I knew I wanted to come to Alabama coming out of high school regardless of what everybody else did. I feel like if I’m leaving now, what am I really doing? I done been here four years. I done dedicated my whole life to this whole program. So why would I leave now and go to a whole nother program. I feel like that’s not holding up my loyalty for the staff and the players in general.”

After recording 1.5 sacks and four quarterback hurries over 14 appearances last season, Latham now finds himself as a key component to a defensive front that could be one of Alabama’s biggest strengths next year. The Tide brings back its top three defensive tackles in starters Tim Keenan III and Tim Smith as well as Jehiem Oatis. Meanwhile, Latham leads a Bandit unit that also features Texas A&M transfer LT Overton as well as a few potential breakout players in redshirt freshmen Jordan Renaud and Keon Keeley.

“We’re a very talented group,” Wommack said. From younger guys to older guys, I think there’s a lot of depth. I think there are a lot of guys that play with a very high motor and play with physicality. We’re getting better and better at some of the techniques and things that we’re doing schematically that might be just a little different up front and I think our guys have really taken some big steps forward. I think the future’s bright with our defensive line unit.”

Despite the returning talent, the hype around Alabama’s line has been slow to build this spring. That’s fine with Latham, who says he’s taking his same old chip into his new role.

“I went to a small high school, so I always feel like I’ve been under the radar,” Latham said. “It always motivated me to go extra hard. Even now in this situation, I feel like I’m still under the radar. Not too many people know me, but like you’re going to find out this year.”